Cool burning gun propellants containing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine with ethyl cellulose binder

ABSTRACT

A family of gun propellants formulated with triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine with a binder of ethyl cellulose to reduce the isochoric flame temperature while providing high mass impetus.

United States Patent Flanagan et al.

[451 Sept. 30, 1975 COOL BURNING GUN PROPELLANTS CONTAINING TRIAMINOGUANIDINE NITRATE AND CYCLOTETRAMETHYLENE TETRANITRAMINE WITH ETHYL CELLULOSE BINDER Inventors: Joseph E. Flanagan, Woodland Hills; Vernon E. Haury, Santa Susana, both of Calif.

Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

El Segundo, Calif.

Filed: June 14, 1973 Appl, No.: 370,117

US. Cl. l49/19.7; 149/92 Int. C15 C06B 25/06 Field of Search 149/91, 92, 19.7, 19.8

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1960 Audrieth 149/92 2,988,438 6/1961 Allovio 149/l9.7 3,110,258 11/1963 Weber 149/91 3,140,208 7/1964 Adelman.. l49/l9.7 3,334,053 8/1967 Audrieth l49/l9.7 3,639,183 2/1972 Crescenzo.... 149/92 3,732,130 5/1973 Flanagan...... 149/92 3,732,131 5/1973 Haury 149/92 Primary ExaminerBenjamin R. Padgett Assistant E.\aminerDonald P. Walsh Attorney, Agent, or Firm-L. Lee Humphries; Robert M. Sperry 7 Claims, No Drawings COOL BURNING GUN PROPELLANTS CONTAINING TRIAMINOGUANIDINE NITRATE AND CYCLOTETRAMETHYLENE TETRANITRAMINE WITH ETI'LYL CELLULOSE BINDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to gun propellants and is particularly directed to gun propellant formulations employing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine to provide low isochoric flame temperatures and high mass impetus.

2. Prior Art For several hundred years, investigators have been seeking to improve firearms and the propellants used in them. Many significant improvements have been made. However, as long as there is a demand for such weapons, the search for improvements will continue. In recent years, automatic guns have been developed which are capable of firing several thousand rounds of ammunition per minute. However, the gun propellants available heretofore have had isochoric flame temperatures in the range of 2400K to 3300K. As a result, the barrels of the automatic guns have tended to overheat and become warped quite rapidly. Consequently, it has been necessary to replace the gun barrels frequently, which reduces the effectiveness of such guns and adds considerably to the expense of operating such guns. While some prior art gun propellants are known which have lower flame temperatures, these cool-burning propellants generally also have significantly lower mass impetus.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and a family of gun propellants is proposed which provides isochoric flame temperatures to 30 percent lower than those of conventional military propellants, while yielding comparable or higher mass impetus.

The advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing gun propellant formulations employing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved gun propellants.

Another object of the present invention is to provide vgun propellants having flame temperatures which are ,significantly lower than those of conventional military propellants while yielding comparable or greater mass impetus.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide gun propellant formulations employing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration, a family of gun propellants is formulated,employing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine to provide flame temperatures which are significantly lower than those of conventional military propellants, while yielding comparable or greater mass impetus.

The theoretical performances of standard military propellants, as described in US. Army Propellant Manual No. AMCP-706-l50, published February 1965, are shown in Table I.

triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine have yielded specific impulses in the range of 304,000 to 335,000, with flame temperatures in the range of 1900K to 2200I(.

EXAMPLE I In accordance with the present invention, a gun propellant was formulated consisting of 25% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 20% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. This propellant yielded a specific impulse of 305,200 ft.lbs./lb., and an isochoric flame temperature of 2035K, with a molecular weight of 18.55.

EXAMPLE II A gun propellant was formulated consisting of 55% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. This propellant yielded a specific impulse of 304,800 ft.lbs./lb., and an isochoric flame temperature of 1978K, with a molecular weight of 18.06.

EXAMPLE III A gun propellant was formulated consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. This propellant yielded a specific impulse of 327,800 ft.lbs./lb.. and an isochoric flame temperature of 2l54l(, with a molecular weight of 18.27.

EXAMPLE IV A gun propellant was formulated consisting of 55% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. This propellant yielded a specific impulse of 308,500 ft.lbs./lb., and an isochoric flame temperature of 2001K, with a molecular weight of 18.05.

EXAMPLE V A gun propellant was formulated consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. This propellant yielded a specific impulse of 332,700 ft.lbs./lb., and an isochoric flame tem eratdi6f'2193uc with'a molecular weight of Thegun propellants of the present invention yielded impact sensitivities of 35-45 inch-pounds and a Taliani test showed no gas evolution at 93C after 1 hour.

Obviously, numerous other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A gun propellant containing triaminoguanidine nitrate and cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine with a binder of ethyl cellulose.

2. A gun propellant consisting of 20% 60% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 20%60% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; l%-25% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5%-% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.

3. A gun propellant consisting of by weight of triaminoguan'idine nitrate; 50%: by "weight of'cyclotetramethylene'tetranitramine; 20% by weight of ethyl cellulose and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.

4. A- gun' propellant consisting of 55%by" weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.

5. A gun propellant consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.

' 6. A gun propellant consisting of 55% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.

7. A gun propellant consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl 20 cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. 

1. A GUN PROPELLANT CONTAINING TRIAMINOGUANIDINE NIRATE AND CYCLOTETRAMETHYLENE TETRANITRAMINE WITH A BINDER OF ETHYL CELLULOSE.
 2. A gun propellant consisting of 20% - 60% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 20%-60% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 10%-25% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5%-10% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.
 3. A gun propellant consisting of 25% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitraMine; 20% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.
 4. A gun propellant consisting of 55% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.
 5. A gun propellant consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 15% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.
 6. A gun propellant consisting of 55% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 25% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate.
 7. A gun propellant consisting of 30% by weight of triaminoguanidine nitrate; 50% by weight of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine; 17.5% by weight of ethyl cellulose; and 2.5% by weight of isodecyl pelargonate. 